Slams, blocks and game winners: Top 10 plays from Wemby's record-setting season

To get ready for Wembanyama's postseason debut, here's a list of 10 notable plays and moments from the 2025-26 regular season in chronological order based on his favorites and informal polling among his coaches and teammates.

Area 51 reverse alley-oop jam, Oct. 22 at Dallas Mavericks

Spurs guard Stephon Castle lit up when discussing the play, calling the moment "a turning point in the game," that "we were definitely hyped about."

With 8:28 remaining in the second quarter of San Antonio's season-opening victory at Dallas, Castle ran the floor screaming, "Rim, Vic! Rim! Rim! Rim!"

Wembanyama immediately pushed off on a trailing Dwight Powell to gain one last burst of speed to the basket. From just past the Mavericks' center-court logo, Castle floated a lob that Wembanyama plucked out of the air for a reverse two-handed dunk.

Dallas quickly called a timeout as Wembanyama and Castle celebrated with a leaping shoulder bump.

Reverse, and-1 dunk, Oct. 22 at Dallas

We're still in Dallas for one of Wembanyama's favorite plays. In his first regular-season game since deep vein thrombosis prematurely ended his 2024-25 campaign, Wembanyama spoiled the debut of Mavericks rookie and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg with a 40-point, 15-rebound performance.

With 2:47 left in the second quarter, Wembanyama caught a pass from rookie guard Dylan Harper. One quick pump fake lured P.J. Washington off his feet, giving Wembanyama room to drive baseline as Anthony Davis stepped over to help, but it was too late. The 22-year-old unleashed a ferocious reverse dunk on Davis, who was whistled for a foul. Wembanyama hit the subsequent free throw to give San Antonio a 50-48 lead.

"I looked at the bench and said, "What the f---?" Spurs forward Keldon Johnson told ESPN. "I'm sorry, but that was crazy."

Wembanyama and teammate Julian Champagnie stood at the scorer's table at American Airlines Center talking after the play, admiring Wemby's work.

"That was niiiice," Wembanyama said.

Four-point play, Oct. 22 at Dallas

It's worth mentioning one last play from the opener at American Airlines Center -- a four-point sequence that featured Wembanyama's deep bag of gifts.

Dribbling up the floor, Wembanyama wasn't about to miss an opportunity to beat Lively in a one-on-one matchup. He pulled off a crossover dribble to his left, stepped forward, then back, dribbled through his legs and then behind the back. Then, the 7-foot-4 star rose for a step-back 3-pointer with Lively tightly defending him.

Splash.

Officials whistled Lively for a foul after Wembanyama landed on his foot on the follow-through. On the floor, with his fists stacked, Wembanymana churned his hands in a circular motion to say that he was "cooking". Vassell, Harrison Barnes and Castle ran over to congratulate Wembanyama on the play. Meanwhile, Harrison Ingram hugged Bismack Biyombo on the bench as the rest of the Spurs mimicked Wembanyama's stirring of the pot. Wembanyama converted the four-point play by hitting the ensuing free throw.

He said the team needed to make a statement in the opener.

"Because I haven't seen us win an opening-night game," he said. "We're on the road, and we've stepped up so many things in the way we work back home. So, it feels like it's time to move on to the next step. We needed to make a statement because we're all tired of losing. That's the truth."

360 layup, Oct. 27 vs. Toronto Raptors

Even after his 40-point season opener filled with highlights, Wembanyama surprised himself three games later versus Toronto.

"Never worked on that before," he said about the play, laughing. "That's the first."

Just four minutes into the contest, Wembanyama came off a Vassell screen, caught a pass from Barnes and took only one dribble to squeeze between defenders Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl before launching into a 360-degree layup that he kissed off the glass for a bucket.

Wembanyama poured in 24 points with 15 rebounds, and the Spurs matched their best start in franchise history (4-0) after their 121-103 triumph.

Self alley-oop, Nov. 14 vs. Golden State Warriors

On Nov. 12, in their first matchup this season, Stephen Curry scored 46 points to help the Warriors beat the Spurs despite triple-doubles from Wembanyama and Castle. Two days later, in an NBA Cup battle, San Antonio suffered a similar fate in a chippy affair, highlighted by a 49-point effort from Curry.

Still, Wembanyama left the floor that night with another viral highlight.

Area 51 consists of Castle (jersey No. 5) and Wembanyama (No. 1), and usually features the former tossing lobs to the latter for breathtaking jams. This time, though, Wembanyama took matters into his own hands.

After dribbling past Draymond Green, Wembanyama made Moses Moody lunge with a pump fake, before tossing the ball off the glass for a two-handed dunk on a self alley-oop with 10:21 remaining in the third quarter. Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 38 minutes as the Spurs lost their first contest of the NBA Cup.

Poster dunk, Dec. 27 vs. Utah Jazz

Even two days after Christmas, Wembanyama was still in the gift-giving mood for the home fans at Frost Bank Center. By this point in the season, opponents should have known not to fall for his pump fake outside the 3-point line.

But this time, Lauri Markkanen took the bait, and his teammates paid the price.

As Markkanen flew past on the pump fake, Wembanyama put the ball on the floor. Two dribbles later, with Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh and Walter Clayton Jr. attempting to help inside, Wembanyama bent back the rim for the loudest dunk of the night, posterizing Kyle Filipowski, who was whistled for a foul with 8:49 remaining.

Kung-Fu Wemby, Jan. 6 at Memphis Grizzlies

The first and only off-court highlight of this bunch is an impressive one, nonetheless.

During pregame warmups before the Spurs' 106-105 loss to the Grizzlies, four basketballs were lodged in the net in need of clearance. A nonissue for any other typical NBA player, but for Wembanyama, it presented an interesting opportunity to showcase some of the other talents he accrued after spending his offseason at a Shaolin temple in Zhenzhou, China, meditating and participating in kung fu training.

With one small leap, Wembanyama kicked one of the balls loose from the net.

"It's been done before," he said modestly.

When he was told that there are other people capable of kicking as high as the rim, Wembanyama shot back, "I can beat that. I'm confident."

Windmill dunk, Feb. 21 vs. Sacramento Kings

When Barnes reminded Johnson of this play, he said, "Oooh! I forgot about that one."

De'Aaron Fox drove to the middle of the floor and kicked it out to Barnes, who then swung the ball to Wembanyama at the 3-point arc. He took only one dribble, and the defenders in the lane immediately parted for him as he ripped a two-handed windmill dunk. Of course, Wembanyama is known for doing things his own way, so it's no surprise that his windmill flowed clockwise instead of the typical counterclockwise motion.

Sacramento defenders DeMar DeRozan, Nique Clifford, Daeqwon Plowden, Malik Monk and fellow Frenchman Maxime Raynaud could only watch in disgust as Wembanyma rose for the slam.

"Every time, I'm amazed," Johnson said.

No-look block, March 8 vs. Houston Rockets

Tari Eason's mother, Teroya, has built quite a social media presence and pulls no punches, even with her son. In the second quarter of the Spurs' lopsided victory over Houston, the Rockets forward advanced the ball in transition as Wembanyama drifted back to guard center Alperen Sengun.

With Champagnie guarding Eason, and Wembanyama still on Sengun, the Rockets' forward drove on Champagnie. What Eason likely didn't realize was that Wembanyama was baiting him at the rim to shoot it. Right after Eason slipped past Champagnie with an up-and-under move, Wembanyama stepped over at the last second and blocked the shot into the crowd.

Wembanyama has had his fair share of stuffs this regular season, leading the league in blocks (197) for the third straight season. But this one was probably the loudest and, at the very least, it drew a hilarious reaction from Eason's mother.

First buzzer beater, March 19 vs. Phoenix Suns

With his team trailing 100-99, it took nerve for Wembanyama to dribble 9.7 seconds off the clock. But that's what he needed to do to survey the defense before stepping right, taking one dribble and hitting a go-ahead 17-foot fadeaway over Oso Ighodaro with 1.1 seconds left in the game.

The bucket clinched San Antonio's first postseason berth since 2019 and was Wembanyama's first go-ahead make in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime in his career, after he had missed his five previous attempts in that scenario, according to ESPN Research.

"Once you get older, you aren't fazed by those moments," said Fox, the inaugural NBA Clutch Player of the Year. "He isn't fazed by them right now. He just going to continue to grow, continue to be better, and continue to be comfortable in those situations."